HOOVER, Ala. -- In an odd twist of scheduling, the first two games of Ole Miss’ season will take place at NFL stadiums.

On Aug. 28, Ole Miss squares off against Boise State at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The following week, they head to LP Field in Nashville, Tenn., to face Vanderbilt.

It’s a quirk that Hugh Freeze doesn’t mind one bit.

To him, it will only bolster the Rebels in the eyes of prospective recruits.

“I think opening up in the Chick-fil-A game in Atlanta where we recruit extremely hard, playing in the Georgia Dome where every SEC team wants to end their season, I think it's very important,” the coach said Thursday at SEC media days. “We get to open college football. All eyes will be on you on that Thursday night against a very good Boise program.”

And if Ole Miss manages to win one or both of those contests, well, even better.

“You certainly know that could help,” Freeze said. “Hopefully we get a chance to embrace that opportunity and make the most of it.”

War Eagle Extra

Mike Niziolek joins the Ledger-Enquirer after spending the past three years with MLive.com. The past year he covered Eastern Michigan University athletics, including football and recruiting. He also filled in as a backup writer for the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings and University of Michigan. Mike is a 2004 graduate of Michigan State.